Milling cutter



Feb. 1 1927. 1,615,969

C. A. WEST MILLING CUTTER Filed March 2 1922 3 SheetsSheet 1 dtbomm C. A. WEST MILLING CUTTER Feb. l 1927.

Filed March 29, 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Elmo/MM c/aud ofi esz I 6 5 l I Tm s m 7 2 9 1 :m e F Filed March 29. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 wVa Patented Feb. 1, 1927.

CLAUDE A. WEST, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MILLING CUTTER.

Application filed March 29, 1922. Serial No. M1865.

This invention relates to metal working tools and more particularly to rotary cutters having a plurality of circumferentially arranged cutting instrumentalities.

Rotary cutters of this class as commonly constructed have cutting instrumentalities which are so arranged that the heat generat ed in operation is not dissipated sufficiently fast to prevent disintegration or breaking down of the cutting edges under the heavy strains to which the cutting elements are subjected and the tool soon becomes dull and it becomes necessary to frequently sharpen these edges and because of the frequent sharpening to frequently replace the cutters or blades.

An object of this invention is to so arrange and attach the cutting elements or blades that the heat generated in operation will be readily dissipated and the blades cooled.

A further object is to so construct the body of the cutter and the cutting members or blades that these members may be quickly and readily detached and may be as readily replaced without the necessity for the exercise of care in setting the blades or excessive grinding to bring them to the proper uniform size.

A further object of this invention is to maintain the outside cutting diameter and to also maintain the cutting width without the necessity for the frequent replacement of the cutting instrumentalities or the frequent grinding of their cutting edges.

A further object is to provide a construction wherein a body formed of comparatively soft metal may be employed and cutting instrumentalities of very hard tool steel set in the periphery of the body in such a manner as to be firmly held inplace without the necessity for looking or adjusting elements.

It is also an object to provide certain other new and useful features in the construction and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully set fort-h.

. lVit-h the above and other endsin view, the invention consists in providing a body with a plurality of tapered sockets to receive tapered shanks formed integral with cutting blades or members whereby these cutting instrumentalities are securely held by the body without the necessity for the use of fastening means separate from the body and members and said members are held firmly in position and in spaced relation to each other about the periphery of the body with the cutting portions or blades of said membersout of contact with the body and projecting beyond the adjacent surface of the body, and whereby the heat generated in operation. will be quickly dissipated.

The invention further consists in provid ing a stepped arrangement of said cutting instrumentalities whereby these instrumentalities may be adjusted progressively around the body in order to maintain cutting width or diameter of the tool. The invention also consists in an arrangement of the cutting instrumentalities whereby a saving in the expensive material from which they are made is efiected by a peripheral progressive adj ustment of these instrumentalities, which adjustment permits of thediscarding of a single cutting member when adjustment becomes necessary to maintain cutting width or diameter, and excessive grinding of the members, with consequent rapid depletion and frequent replacement, is obviated.

The invention further consists in certain other new and useful features and 'in the matters hereafter more fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cutter embodying features of the invention and showing portions broken away and'in section to more clearly disclose the construction;

' Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1 with a device partly in transverse vertical section; v

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a cutter showing a modified construction;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, of the cutter shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a further modified form of cutter showing the same in side-elevation;

Fig. 6 is an edge elevation of the cutter shown in'Fig. 5 with the upper half of the cutter shown in transverse vertical section; 190

Fig. 7 is a developed view of a portion of the edge of the cutter shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and showing the relative arrangement of the cutting instrumentalities;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail showing a section of the body of the cutter and a transverse section of a shank of a blade illustrating the manner in which cutting instrumentalities are secured to the body;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a cutting instrumentality or blade;

Fig. 10 is a developed View of a portion of the edge of a cutter showing a modified construction and illustrating an arrangement of the cutting blades;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a cutter showing a further modified construction;

Fig. 12 is an edge elevation of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail showing a portion of the cutter in section upon the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14' is: a similar detail showing the cutter in section upon the line XIVXIV of Fig. 11;

Fig. 15 is a developed edgeelevation of a portion oithe cutter body shown in Figs. I1 and 1 2:, and

Fig; 16 is a perspective view of a cutting instrumentality or blade employed in the construction shown in Figs. 11 to 14 in elusive.

The simplest form of cutter shown in the accompanyingdrawings, is shown in Figs. 3 and 41*, wherein a disk-like body 1 is provided, said body having a hub portion 2 and an annular rim portion 3, the hub being provided with a key slot 4: for securing the body to ill-driving shaft. In the peripheral face 'i of the rim is formed a series of inwardly tapering sockets 11 to receive the tapered shanks 16 ot the several cutting instrumentalities, the cutting or head portions of which are preferably in: the form of'substantially rectangular blades 17 with: the shanks formed integral therewith intermediate the ends thereof. These blades have forward side faces meeting outer end faces at anacute angle to provide a forward cutting edge 18 in the direction of rotation of the cutter and the end faces of the blades also: meet the forward face at an acute angle to form sharp cutting end edges 19. To prevent the shanks: 16 of the blades from turning within their sockets 1'1 and to: hold the blades with their cutting edges 18 extending transversely of the peripheral edge of the body and at right angles to the plane of rotation, a pin 14 is set within a bore 13 which bore cuts into: the socket 11 at one side throughout the length thereof, the pinbeing' driven into the: bore so: that it will remain permanently in place in. the body with aportion: of the rounded side oct' the pin projecting into the socket, and the shank 16' of each blade is formed with a longitudinal slot 15 to receive the inwardly projecting side oi the pin. The: pin thus forms a key or'spli ne to hold the shank against turning within its socket and as said pin is permanently positioned in the body, it' is only necessary, in placing the blades. to: insert their shanks in the socl'rets. and. due to; the taper of said shanks and sockets, the blades will be firmly and rigid ly held and supported with their inner edges slightly spaced from the peripheral face of the body, and this positioning of the blades will always be accurate and positive due to able tool (not shown) into the transverse openings 12 formed in the body at the inner ends of the sockets 11, said tool, when driven in, coming into contact with the extreme inner end of the shank of the blade which it is desirable to remove and forcing the shank from its seat in the socket. Due to the taper oi the shank, it is quickly released and when replaced in the socket, comes easily to a firm seat therein, thus accurately and rigidly holding the blade in position on the body. By this arrangement of the shanks for holding the blades, said blades are rig-idly held without being engaged by or enclosed within the body and therefore in operation, the heat generated will be readily dissipated due to the free access of air to all sides of each blade and the engagement of the shank portion only with the body through wl'rich the heat may be transmitted to the body. Very efficientcooling' of the cutting instrumentalities is therefore effected through the described manner of attaching these members to the body and under the most severe strains and friction set up by the heavy duty imposed upon the cutters in heavy cutting operations, the body and blades will remain cool and the cutting edges of the blades will be unaffected by the heat, thus causing themto remain sharp much longer than the cutting edges of blades which are held in the usual manner within slots formed in the body.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the blades may be formed of a length greater than the width ot the peripheral face 7 of the body and by setting the blades in staggered relation so that one end of one blade will project laterally of the body and the next adjacent blades set to project laterally beyond the opposite side of the body. said blades come into contact with the work at one end only where the cutter is being used toface oil the opposite sides of a slot or the like in the work. and to so position these blades, the sockets ll are formed, as shown in Fig. 7. within the periphery ofthe body in offset relation to a central plane of the peripheral taco. said sockets being; offset alternatelv at opposite sides of said plane. and therefore when the cutting end edges of the blades at one end thereof have become worn and dull, the opposite ends of the blades may be brought into operative position by simply stepping= all of the blades around one space. one blade taking theposition of the next adjacent blade.

In the modified arrangement of the blades illustrated in Fig. 10-, the blades are formed with cutting edges at one end only. said blades 21 extending laterally from the shanks 16 to a greater distance toward their cutlit) ting ends than toward the opposite end, and in order to maintain cutting width, that is, maintain the cutters so that their cutting ends will project equally beyond the planes of the sides of the body and maintain a cutting width to accurately cut slots or the like or face off opposed faces of thework to an accurate measurement between the faces, the sockets 11 are formed in the peripheral face of the body in two rows, one row to receive the shanks of the blades which project beyond one side of the body and the other row to hold the blades projecting from the opposite side of the body, and these rows di' verge toward opposite sides of the body around the entire circumference thereof, the first sockets of the rows being positioned substantially upon the center line of the peripheral face of the body. With this ar rangement, when the end cutting edges ofv the blades have become worn, the blades may all he stepped around one position, the last two blades in the two rows being discarded and new blades substituted for the first cutters in the two rows. The cutters are therefore adjusted laterally of the body as their end cutting edges are worn away and a great saving in expensive steel is effected and a ready adjustment to maintain cutting width is secured, as after each adjustment, only a slight grinding of the blades is necessary and only those blades are discarded which have been ground away to the limit of their etliciency. Vi ith this arrangement it is never necessary to discard all of the blades but due to the progressive adjustment, they are all gradually worn and ground away. Quick and accurate lateral adjustment is also secured through this arrangement to accurately maintain cutting width and this adjustment may be quickly effected due to the ease with which the blades may be removedand inserted, and the manner in which they are held so that the adjustment is effected by the operation of stepping them around to an advanced position.

In the construction of the cutter shown in Figs. 1 and 2, accurate cutting diameter is maintained by the construction of the body, said body being formed with a peripheral face made up of a series of steps or flat surfaces 8, the first of said surfaces 9 being at.

the least radial distance from the axis of the body and the last surface 10 of the series being at the greatest radial. distance from the axis of the body, each intermediate surface in the series between the surfaces 9 and 10 being of a slightly greater radial distance from the axis of the body than the preceding surface. Each one of these steps or surfaces is formed with a socket 11 toreceive the shank of a cutting blade and the blades held in these sockets may therefore be adjusted radially outward by simply stepping them around progressively, a new blade being inserted in the place of the blade formerly seated at the surface 9 and the blade formerly seated at the surface 10 being discarded. Because of successive steps or surfaces arranged at successively different rain Figs. 1 and 2 and bythe combined arrangement both cutting width and diameter may be maintained.

In the construction of cutter the peripheral cutting diameter and the lateral cutting plane are both maintained, the several cutting instrumentalities 22 being formed with cutting edges 23 and 24, the cutting edges 28 providing the cutting diameter of the tool and the cutting edges 2% providing the lateral cutting plane of the tool which is at right angles to the cut of the edges 23. In other words, the cutting edges 23 and 2a meet at substantially right angles and the cutters may therefore be used in forming the meeting angle between two i surfaces extending at right angles to each other. The body 25 of the cutter is formed with an axial opening 26 to receive a driving shaft and this body is formed with a peripheral annular surface 27 which is inclined to the axis of rotation of the cutter, said inclination being at an angle of substantially to the axis of the body. The body is also formed with a series of tapering sockets in this peripheral surface 27 to receive the shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the arrangement lssuch that shanks 16 of the several cutting instrumen- I talities 22, said instrumentalities or blades being secured in place in the manner hereinbefore described. These cutting instrumentalities or blades 22 are therefore secured to the body 25 with their holding shanks 16 extending inwardly within the sockets at an angle of approximately t5 to the axis of rotation of the body, and as the cutting edges 22-} and 24 of the blades are at right angles to each other and each at an angle of l5 to the longitudinal. axis of the shank, the cutting edges 23 will be parallel to the axis of rotation of the body and the cutting edges 2% will be radial to said axis and extend in a plane transversely to the axis or the lateral cutting plane of the cutter. This arrangement provides a rotary cutter, the cutting instrumentalities of which project angnlarly from the periphery of the cutter body and which blades or cutting members are. attached to the body in such a manner as to be held in spaced relation to each other and to the peripheral surface of the body.

Obviously the cutting diameter and also the lateral cutting plane of the tool shown in Figs. 5 and 6, may be maintained by an outward adjustment of the cutting instrumentalities 22 in a direction longitudinally of their shank axes at an angle of 45 to the axis of rotation of the body, and this adjustment may be provided by the construction illustrated in Figs. 11 to inclusive, wherein the sockets to receive the shanks of the several blades are formed in a series of steps or surfaces arranged at successively varying radial distances from the axis of rotation of the body, similar to the construction shown in 1,. the difference being that the surfaces 8 are flat surfaces, the planes of which are parallel with the axis of rotation of the body while in the construction shown in Figs. 11 to 15 the planes of these several surfaces extend at an angle of to the axis of the body. Further the construction illustrated in the last mentioned figures illustrates a double construction, that is, a con struction in which two sets of cutting instrumentalities are employed so that the tool is adapted to face or cut parallel surfaces at right angles to the axis of rotation and at the same time cut or face surfaces parallel to the axis of rotation and meeting the other surfaces at right angles.

As shown in 11 to 15 inclusive, the two series of stepped surfaces 28 are formed by cutting notches 29 in the periphery of the body 30 and the notches of the series at one side of the body alternate with the notches of the other series at the opposite side of the body The first notch of each series is deeper than the succeeding notches and therefore the first surface 31 of each series is of less radial distance from the axis of rotation of the body than the last surface 32 of each series and the intermediate surfaces ofeach series are each at a slightly greater radial distance from the axis than the preceeding surface. Therefore all of the blades of each series may be adjusted outwardly by simply stepping them around to an advanced position, placing a new blade at position 31' in each series and discarding the blades which removed from the posit-ions 32. The blades may therefore be quickly and accurately adjusted to maintain both cutting die and cutting width of the tool. A very eilicicnt rotary cutter is thus secured for facing or cutting parallel surfaces and at the ie time forming surfaces at right angles thereto and the accurate distance between the parallel surfaces may be maintained and the surfaces extending at right angles thereto, maintained at an accurate radial distance from the axis of rotation of the tool by a simple adjustment of the cutting blades, and in which adjustment no great care need be exercised as the blades and their shanks are so formed that the blades will be accurately positioned and adjusted outwardly by simply stepping them around from one position to the next position in each series. As in the other constructions previously described, eiiicient cooling of the tool. is so cured in this construction by the particular manner in which the blades are held in place and the cutting diameter and lateral cutting plane of the tool are bothmaintained by a succesisve adjustment or stepping around of the several cutting instrumentalities While several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is obvious that the several features of the invention may be embodied in other constructions falling within the scope of the appended claims and I do not therefore limit myself to the particular constructions or arrangements shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. i1 rotary cutter wherein a body is provided with a plurality of cutting instrumentalities rigidly and non-rotatively mounted thereon, said body being formed with a plural'ity of tapered sockets and each instrun'ientality comprising a head portion formed with a cutting edge and an integral tapered shank engaging said sockets, said shanks forming the sole means for detachably holding said instrumentalities in place upon said body with their heads free of the body and in spaced apart relation, and means within each socket for preventing rotation of each shank therein. a

A rotary cutter whereina body is prorided with a plurality of cutting instrumenta-lities and non-rotatabl-y mounted thereon, said body being formed with a plurality of tapered sockets and each instrumentality comprising a head portion formed with a cutting edge and an integral taperedshank to engage said sockets, said shanks forming the sole means for detachably holding said instrumentalities in place upon said body, means for preventing rotation of each shank in its socket comprising a pin extending longitudinally of each socket with oneside of said pin projecting into the socket throughout the length of said pin, said body being formed with a bore adjacent each socket cutting through the wall of said socketthrought-iut the length of said bore and within which the pin is driven to be securely held thereby and each shank is formed with alongitudinal groove to receive said projecting side of each pin.

3'. A rotary cutter wherein a circular body is provided with a series of peripheral cutinstrumentalities, said body being formed with a series of sockets of circular form in cross section with their axes extending at an inclination laterally of the plane of rotation of said body, said instrumentalities each being formed with a side cutting edge extending laterally of the body beyond the plane of a side face thereof and an end cutting edge, and also formed with an integral shank to engage said sockets.

at. A rotary cutter wherein a circular body is provided with a series of peripheral cutting instrumentalities, said body being formed with a series of sockets of circular form in cross section with their axes extending at an inclination laterally of the plane of rotation of said body and alternately towards opposite sides thereof, said instrumentalities each being formed with a side cutting edge extending laterally of the body beyond the plane of a side face of the body and an end cutting edge, and with an integral shank to engage said sockets.

5. A rotary cutter wherein a circular body is provided with a series of peripheral cutting instrumentalities, said instrumentalities including a shank portion for detachably holding said instrumentalities in place upon the body, said body being formed with a series of sockets to receive said shank with the longitudinal axes of said sockets extending at an inclination to the axis of rotation of said body and arranged at progressively varying distances from the axis of said body, whereby said instrumentalities may be adjusted outwardly and laterally of the body by stepping said instrumentalities from one to another of said sockets around the body.

6. A rotary cutter as characterized in claim 5 and wherein the longitudinal axes of said sockets extend laterally of said body alternately toward opposite sides thereof.

7. A rotary cutter wherein a circular body is provided with a series of peripheral cutting instrumentalities, said instrumentalities including a shank portion for detachably holding said instrumentalities in place upon the body, said body being formed with a series of sockets to receive said shanks, and said sockets being arranged in two rows in the peripheral portion of the body with the sockets of one row alternating with those of the adjacent row and the sockets of the two rows arranged at progressively varying distances from opposite sides of a central plane.

8. A rotary cutter comprising a body and a series of cutting instrumentalities detachably carried by said body, said instrumentalities each including a head having a cutting edge extending transversely of the peripheral face of the body and an end cutting edge projecting beyond a side face of the body, and said body being formed with ment thereof both outwardly and laterally of said body, by stepping said instrumentalities around said body.

9. In a rotary cutter, the combination of a body formed with a plurality of stepped surfaces at different distances outwardly from the axis of the body with the plane of each surface inclined to the axis of rotation of the body, there being two rows of surfaces one at each side of the body with the surfaces of one row alternating with the surfaces of the other row, and sockets of circular form in cross section, each extending inwardly of said body from each surface, and cutting instrumentalities each comprising a head formed with a side and end cutting edge and with an integral shank to engage said sockets, whereby said instrumentalities may be adjusted outwardly and lateraily of the body by changing said instrumentalities from one socket to another.

10. In a rotary cutter, the combination of a body formed with a peripheral row of sockets extending inwardly of the body adjacent the meeting angle of the side and peripheral faces of the body and at an angle approximating forty-five degrees to the axis of rotation of the body, and a plurality of cutting instruinentalities having shanks to engage said sockets and side cutting edges projecting laterally of the body beyond the pfane of a side face of the body.

11. A rotary cutter as characterized in claim 10 and wherein said sockets are arranged at progressively varying distances from the axis of the body.

12. In a rotary cutter, the combination of a body formed with two rows of stepped surfaces extending around the periphery of the body with the surfaces of each row. arranged at progressively varying distances from the axis of said body and the facets of said rows inclined to said axis inwardly from the peripheral face of said body and toward the side faces thereof, a plurality of cutting instrumentalities each having two cutting edges, one extending at right angles to the other, and means for detachably securing said instrumentalities to said body in position relative to said surfaces with one cutting edge of each instrumentality extending parallel to the axis of rotation of said body and the other cuting edge thereof extending at right angles to said axis.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CLAUDE A. WEST.

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